Commission clears public support for Denmark’s Bornholm airport
The European Commission has announced that the Danish government's annual subsidy of DKK 26 million (approximately €3.5 million or £3.08 million Sterling) until 2020 to Bornholm airport is not in breach of EU State Aid rules.Explaining its decision, the Commission stated that the airport, located on an island in the Baltic Sea, serves a general economic interest as without the facility the island would suffer significant disadvantages in terms of connectivity and economic development.In accordance with the 2014 Guidelines on State aid to airports and airlines, the Commission made clear that the aid granted to the airport cannot be used to directly subside any airline supporting the airport, the so called 'Ryanair rule' named after the Irish low-cost airline that has repeatedly fallen foul of DG-Competition for breaches of EU Treaty rules on State Aid.
